Conventional injection molding techniques typically rely on use of a multi-side mold assembly including at least a first side and a second side to create a respective injection molded part.
As an illustrative example, to create a respective injection molded part, the first side of the mold assembly is joined to a second side of the mold assembly. It is well known that contours on the inner wall surfaces in a respective cavity formed by the first side of the mold and the second side of the mold define the outer surfaces of the respective resulting injection molded part. Subsequent to creating a cavity by joining one or more sides the mold assembly, molten material is then injected through one or more ports of the mold into a respective cavity of the mold assembly. Eventually, after the injected liquid material, such as plastic, has solidified in the cavity, the one or more sides of the mold assembly are pulled away from each other, releasing the molded part for further handling.
Although conventional injection molding is useful, parts fabricated using conventional injection molding techniques typically include imperfections that must be corrected prior to use of the molded part in a final assembly. For example, injection molded plastic parts typically include imperfections (unwanted material) such as flash and/or burrs that result from unavoidable gaps present along the parting lines of the sides of the mold assembly. To make the part usable in a particular application, a fabricator must typically remove the flash or burrs using a tool such as a grinder.